Top Investments of the Year 2025 in Baden-Württemberg

The region, an industrial powerhouse with world-class research institutions, and a vibrant start-up ecosystem continued to provide ideal conditions for investments in key sectors such as autonomous mobility, microelectronics, and robotics. Four major investment projects in the past year highlight THE LÄND’s ability to attract forward-thinking companies and thereby reinforce its position as a European hub for innovation and technology. As the state’s one-stop agency for investors, Baden-Württemberg International (BW_i) supported three of these companies in expanding into THE LÄND, providing tailored information, assisting with site selection, and connecting them with key contacts to ensure a successful start in the region.

Imec launches the Advanced Chip Design Accelerator in THE LÄND

In March 2025, imec, a world leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies from Belgium, revealed plans for the establishment of the Advanced Chip Design Accelerator (ACDA) at the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) in Heilbronn to advance the development of chiplet-based technology for automotive applications. Supported by 40 million euros in funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg and in collaboration with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the new competence center, which was opened in October, will develop state-of-the-art chiplet, packaging, system integration, sensing, and edge AI technology. The initiative will enable both local and international automotive manufacturers to accelerate the introduction of automotive chiplets into production. The state of Baden-Württemberg supports the chip-ecosystem with an additional five million euros for a network office and the support for scientific cooperation on chiplet technologies, headed by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

The ACDA is part of Baden-Württemberg’s broader chip design strategy and aligns with the European Commission’s goals to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty and launch the Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance. Luc Van den hove, president and CEO of imec, said: “We are excited to bring our expertise and global partner network to the state of Baden-Württemberg, the cradle of the automotive industry in Germany. We also look forward to expanding our collaboration with Fraunhofer to leverage on our complementary expertise and lay the foundation for future chiplet solutions. To realize the region's ambitions, we will also focus on growing the talent pipeline across Europe by training engineers in close collaboration with the local ecosystem, including universities. In addition, we aim to expand the developed high-performance computing solutions to the European level, thus contributing to the acceleration of innovation in the European automotive industry with unique and distinctive building blocks.”

Estun Robotics establishes its German headquarters in Baden-Württemberg

China’s largest industrial robot manufacturer, Estun, announced the opening of its German headquarters in Schwäbisch Gmünd on a former Bosch site in April 2025. The site will initially include 1,000 square meters of office, exhibition, and storage space. The company plans to have around 25 employees at the site in the medium term. The new location will coordinate sales while also serving as a key point of contact for system integrators, and as the central hub for service and commissioning. 

According to Estun, Schwäbisch Gmünd is an ideal location because it is part of one of Germany’s strongest industrial regions. The area has excellent infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce, and the industry is increasingly embracing automation and robotics. The Bosch training center on the same site also plays an important role for the Chinese robotics manufacturer. Estun plans to work closely with the center, “with the goal that no trainee leaves the site without hands-on experience with its robots and robotics technology,” says Gerald Mies, CEO of Estun Robotics Europe AG.

Wayve opens a test and development center close to Stuttgart

In March 2025, the British start-up Wayve, a leading developer in artificial intelligence models for autonomous driving, opened a test and development center in Leonberg near Stuttgart. With the support of BW_i, the company established a facility where autonomous vehicles can be tested under real traffic conditions, including winter road scenarios. This expansion marks an important milestone for Wayve, which was founded in 2017 and which had been validating and improving its AI technology through extensive test drives in the UK and the USA. The new site in the German Southwest allows the company to integrate into one of the world’s most advanced automotive ecosystems.

Wayve’s AV2.0 technology software is compatible with any type of vehicle and enables vehicles to learn “maples”, which significantly improves scalability, safety, and efficiency. CEO and co-founder Alex Kendall emphasized how valuable it is to invest in one of the world's most important automotive markets: “With its rich automotive heritage and deep engineering expertise, Germany is a perfect place to accelerate the development and deployment of AI-powered driving technology. I look forward to partnering with Germany’s world-leading manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers to bring safe, scalable, and production-ready AI software to vehicles worldwide.” The opening of the center in Baden-Württemberg not only strengthens the company’s research capabilities but also fosters closer collaboration with local universities, research institutions, and automotive suppliers, further embedding Wayve in THE LÄND’s dynamic automotive ecosystem.

Helm.ai expands into THE LÄND

The Silicon Valley start-up Helm.ai, a leading provider of AI-based software for autonomous driving, expanded its operations by opening a new location in Böblingen in November 2025, supported, among others, by BW_i. With this step, Helm.ai underscores the importance of the region for research and development, as well as the collaboration with German automotive manufacturers. Using its Deep Teaching™ technology, Helm.ai trains autonomous vehicles on large datasets without requiring costly manual data labeling. The new site strengthens the company’s European footprint, providing direct access to leading automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and research networks in THE LÄND.

Founded in 2017 by CEO Vladislav Voroninski, Helm.ai has raised over 103 million US dollars to date and employs more than 80 people worldwide. The new location allows the company to further advance its research and development, foster partnerships with German automotive manufacturers, and support the deployment of safe and scalable autonomous driving technologies in Europe. Following Wayve’s expansion, Helm.ai’s new site further highlights Baden-Württemberg’s attractiveness for AI-driven automotive innovation and strengthens the state’s position at the forefront of the mobility transformation.

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